Optical power uses light to run remote, isolated circuits without the need for metallic wires to provide electrical power. It is known to use a custom photovoltaic power converter consisting of a number of photodiodes connected in series to optically power a circuit in response to light impinging on the photodiodes. For example, JDSU of Milpitas, Calif. makes a photovoltaic power converter that can power electronic circuits. A series of photodiodes may be used because a single silicon photodiode may not generate enough voltage (aprox. 0.7 volts) to power a circuit. The custom converter may be an expensive part and have few sources of manufacture.
One example application for optical power is the providing of power to a sensor in a fuel tank. It is advantageous to mitigate the potential for a fuel tank explosion by eliminating the use of metallic wires in the fuel tank while still providing power to sensors to monitor conditions in the fuel tank, such as pressure. In other instances, it is useful to reduce weight by eliminating metallic wires. However, as noted above, the use of optical power may result in increased cost due to the need to provide a custom converter with multiple photodiodes to supply sufficient voltage to the sensor or other circuit in the fuel tank.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system the takes advantage of optical power and yet is still cost efficient.